Wicket for dams.



G. B. BEBOUT.

WlCKET FOR DAMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5. m5.

IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 23, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' WITNESSES G. B. BEBOUT.

WICKET FOR DAMS.

APPLICATION FILED mm, 1915.

Patented May 23,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- NVENTOR.

ATTOR EY WITNESSES:

GUY B. BEBOUT, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

WIGKET FOR DAMS.

Application filed August 5, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY B. BEBOUT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of lVheeling, county of Ohio, and State of lVestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wicketsfor Dams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to improvements in wicket dams, andspecifically to a collapsible wicket for such dams.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedform of movable dam-section or wicket which may be readily moved from areclining to an elevated position, and Vice versa, irrespective of thepool level or head of water.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a wicket which isself-lowering at predetermined elevations of water in the upper pool,means being thus afforded for automatically regulating the depth of suchupper pool; to provide a wicket which may be conveniently connected toyand disconnected from the foundation, and thus to materially reduce notonly the initial cost, but also the cost of operation and maintenance ofmovable dams; and to provide a wicket the body of which may be made ofreinforced concrete.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a wicketconstructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating thecollapsible anchors; Fig. 2 is a detail section showing a preferredhinge connection for the wicket; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of theinvention, showing-a modified form of hinge connection; Fig. 4 is afront face view of the wicket body with'cover plates removed; to showthe lowering mechanism; Fig. 5 is a substantially central longitudinalsection taken through Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections takenrespectively on lines6'6 and 7-7, Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a view similar toFig. 3, showing a modified form of collapsible or folding anchor; andFig, '9 is a detail View showing in rear elevation the Joint between themembers of the anchor shown in Fig, 8.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating charactersdistinguish like parts throughout the several vews-1 indicates a shutterwhich may be formed of any appro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Serial No. 43,792.

priate material, preferably reinforced concrete, and which is free atboth ends, neither of said ends being hinged or otherwise connectedtoany fixed object. Pivotally connected to said shutter at a point belowthe middle thereof is a frame by means of which it may be firmlysupported in elevated position, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 8. Said framecomprises, essentially, one or more metal props 2, a pair thereof beingpreferably employed, and one or more metal anchors each of whichconsists of two members 3 and 4 placed end to end and pivotallyconnected. Said props have a parallel disposition and are pivotallyconnected at their upper ends, as to a horizontal rod or shaft 5'mounted in bearings 6 located on the downstream face of the shutter, andare pivotally connected at their lower ends to shoes 7 which rest on afoundation 8, said props thus occupying parallel inclined bracingpositions with respect to said shutter when the latter occupies itselevated position. The lower ends of the anchor members 3 are fixed upona rod or shaft 9 which is journaled in the adjacent ends of a pair ofbars 10; and the upper anchor members 4 have their upper ends fixed tothe shaft 5. Each member 4 is provided with an extension 11, L-shaped incross section, one member of which is designed to engage the connectedmember 3 on its downstream face and thus limit the extension movement ofthe anchor members, preventing said members, for a purpose which willhereinafter be made apparent, from assuming positions in directalinement.

The bars 10 in the ends of which the rod or shaft 9 is journaled, asaforesaid, occupy substantially reclining positions upon the foundation8 and have'their opposite ends attached to the shoes 7, as shown inFig. 1. The opposite ends of the shaft 9 project outward from the bars10 and are received underneath hook-shaped lugs 12 which are formed onor attached to the downstream side of a metal sill 13 which is disposedtransversely of the bed of the streamand is permanently fixed to thefoundation 8. Foot-portions 14 or equivalent devices are formed on theunder sides of said bars 10 for resting upon the foundation to supportthe said ends of shaft 9 at a height which will prevent chancedisassociation of said shaft from the lugs 12, as is clearly shown inFig. 2, said foot-portions being located at points sufficiently farremoved from the connection of said bars with said shaft that they willnot, when the bars are elevated somewhat to an inclined position,interfere with the introduction and removal of said shaft into and outof interlocking engagement with said lugs.

The sill "13 has an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion 15constituting a seat upon or against which the lower endv of thedownstream face of the shutter rests or abuts when thelatter occupiesits elevated position and by which downstream move- 'ment of the lowerend of the shutter is limited. I The wicket is normally maintained inits elevated position, not only by the force of gravity acting on thenearly vertical shutter, but also by the pressure exerted by theimpounded water against said shutter. To

lower the wicket, either a horizontal force suflicientto overcome theforces maintaining it upright may beapplied in a downstream direction tothe upper end of the shutter,

or a force may be applied in an upstream direction to the lower end ofthe shutter. In either case said shutter is rotated counter clockwise onthe adjacent ends of the props 12 to a point where the said forcestending to maintain the shutter upright are overcome, when, by gravity,the frame collapses,

' allowing the Wicket'to assume substantially the-lowered positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As is obvious, whenthe said forcestending to maintain the shutter upright have been overcome, as aboveexplained, the weight of the shutter and frame causes the anchor membersto close n sub stantially jack-knife fashion, said members turning attheir point of pivotal connection and the rods or shafts 6 and 9 towhich their ends are connected rotating in their bear V ings. Due to thefact that said members are and proportioned that it will be trippedautomatically when the upper pool, or impounded water,reaches apredetermined elevation,it has been found desirable from an 7administrative standpoint to eliminate all uncertainty by the provisionof positively actuated mechanism whereby automatic tripping of thewicket at a predetermined pool elevation is accomplished. Said mechanismcomprlses, essentially, an auxiliary shutter 16 located in an opening 17pro-' vided in the main shutter 1 below the point of s'upportof thelatter, said auxiliary shutter having trunnions 18 journaled in the mainshutter at opposite sides of said open ing 17. Said trunnions arelocated belo w the middle of said auxiliary shutter and thus below thecenter of pressure of water to which it may be subjected, so that it normally occupies the open position shown dotted lines in Fig.5, permittingwater to pass in a substantially unobstructed manner maintain theupright position of the main shutter. V Said auxiliary shutteris held inupright position closing the opening 17 by means of a spring pressedlatch '19 which operates through a casing 20 which .is fixed in'a recess21 provided in the downstream; V

Said latch is face of the main shutter. suitably connected to 'a'lever22 intermediate the ends of the latter, one of said ends being throughsaid-opening, thus relieving to alarge extent the pressure. which tendsto pivoted to said main shutter .and theopporod 23 which lieslongitudinally of said shutter and has its upper end pivotally'con-'nected to a transversely disposed lever 2a in- 7 site end being pivotedto the lowerend of a p termediate theends of the latter. Saidlever 24has one end pivotally connectedto the main shutter and has anarm 25 onits free 7 end directed forward through a'slot 26 in the rear wall'of abucket 27 whichisrigidly mounted on the downstream face of the mainshutter'adjacent to the upper end ered by a screen Hand is adaptedtoreceive water therein when the latter reaches'a thereof. Said buckethas its upper end covlevel where it flows over the top of the shutter 1. Located within said bucket is a fi oat '28 movable on suitableguides 29 and having the arm 25 rigidly:attached/thereto. Said to beelevated by airconfi'ne'd therein. when water rises around it.

27 andrises about the float 28, the latteris caused to rise bythelbuoy'ant' air confined therein, and, through the intermediate leversactuated by said float, the latch 19 is withdrawn from supportingrelatio'n'to the auxilia'ry shutter, which latter immediately-- swingsforward on its trunnions due to unbalanced water pressure, and thusrelieves the, pressure on the lower end of the main shutterto such anextent that the latterbecomes unbalanced and, swingse'n bascule, causingthe supporting frame therefor to collapse. VVhen themain shuttenl hasassumedv the reclining position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, theauxiliary shutter again assumes a position closing the opening 17; and,the air having'been permitted to escape froln the open ended float 28,the

latch is'again projected into supportinglrelation to said auxiliaryshutter, being actue ated by'suitable means, as the latch-spring 10s 7 ifloat has itslower end open and is designed I In practice, when waterenters the bucket iso- 40 and a retractilecoilspring 30 interposedbetween the lower end of the lever 23 and a fixed part ofthe mainshutter. Thus, when the main shutter is again elevated, the auxiliaryshutter will be disposed in its upright position.

The various levers described are located in a suitably shaped recess 34:provided therefor in the downstream face of the main shutter andpreferably work in heavy grease. A cover plate 35 fitted in said recessserves to protect said levers and to retain the grease.

A small aperture 31 is provided in the bottom of the bucket to permitwater carried by the latter when elevatedto drain therefrom, as alsowater deposited in the bucket by waves or during rains.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modified. form of hinge connectionbetween the supporting frame and the sill, the modification consistingin dispensing with the hookshaped lugs 12 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 andsubstituting openings or sockets 32 in the downstream face of the sill.l3, and in providing rearwardly extending upturned hooks 33 on theadjacent ends of the bars 10*, said hooks being designed forintroduction in said sockets, as shown.

A modified form of anchor is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the same comrising members 3 and l the adjacent ends of which have integralforwardly projecting arms 36 connected at their ends by a pivot pin 37.Interengaging lugs 39 and 38 carried by the adjacent faces of saidmembers 4 and 3 respectively prevent a forward swinging of member l withrespect to member 3 from their alined positions. Since the point ofpivotal connection 37 is located in a forward position with respect tothe axis of the members 3 and t, but slight resistance is offered to thecollapse of said members in a manner similar to that of the members 3and at hereinbefore described. 7

A closed tank 42 may be, and preferably is fixed on the front, ordownstream, face of the auxiliary shutter 16 adjacent to'the upper edgethereof, the same being adapted for containing air whereby said shutteris rendered sufficiently buoyant that it will automatically swing toclosing position when the main shutter is partially elevated from itscollapsed position.

What is claimed is 1. A wicket comprising, in combination with afoundation having a sill located in fixed position thereon, a shutterhaving both ends free, props pivotally connected to said shutterintermediate its ends and adapted to support the same in an elevatedotal connection with the lower ends of said props, and foldable anchorsinterposed between the upper ends of said props and the upstream ends ofsaid bars.

2. A wicket comprising, in combination ed to support said shutter in anelevated 7 position with its lower end seated against the upstream faceof said sill, bars resting on and independent of said foundation, saidbars having their upstream ends detachably connected to said sill andhaving the lower ends of said props pivotally connected to theirdownstream ends, and foldable anchors pivotally connecting the upstreamends of said props to the corresponding ends of said bars whereby theextent of elevation of the former is limited.

3. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a silllocated in fixed position thereon, a shutter having both ends free,props pivotally connected t'o-said shutter below the middle thereof andadapted to support said shutter in an elevated position with its lowerend seated against the upstream face of said sill, bars resting on andindependent of said foundation, said bars having their upstream endsdetachably connected to said sill and having the lower ends of saidprops pivotally connected to their downstream ends, and anchorsconnecting the upstream ends of said props to the corresponding ends ofsaid bars whereby the extent of elevation of the former is limited, eachof sa1d anchors consisting of a pair of pivotally connected memberswhich. lie in substantial alinement when the shutter occupies elevatedposition and which are collapsible to folded position, the pivotalconnection of said members being out of alinement with the connectionsof the opposite ends of said members.

4:. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a silllocated in fixed position thereon, a shutter having both ends free,props pivotally connected to said shutter belowthe middle thereof andadapted to support said shutter in an eleagainst the upstream face ofsaid sill, bars resting on and independent of said foundation, said barshaving their upstream ends detachably connected to said sill and hav ingthe lower ends of said props pivotally connected to their downstreamends,'foldable anchors pivotally connecting the up stream ends of saidprops to the corresponding ends of said bars whereby the extent ofelevation of the former is limited, and automatically controlled meansfor releasing the pressure of water tending to maintain said shutter inelevated position.

&

5. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having a silllocated in i fixed position thereon, a shutter having ;both ends free,props pivotally connected to said shutter below the, middle thereof andadapted to support said shutter in an elevated position with its lowerend seated connected to their downstream ends, foldable anchorspivotally connecting the up-- stream ends of said props tothecorresponding ends of said bars whereby the extent of elevation ofthe former is 'lim-- ited, and automatically controlled means wherebythe pressure of impounded water against the lower portion of saidshutter is relieved. 7

6. A wicket comprising, in combination with a foundation having atransversely disposed sill fixed thereon, a shutter having both endsfree, collapsible means pivotally' stream face of saidsill, said shutterhaving an opening therethrough adjacent to its lower end, 'an' auxiliaryshutter pivotally' mounted in said opening for closing the latter,meansnormally holding said auX1liary shutter inclo'sing position, andmeans carried by said shutter and adapted to be actuated by the waterwhen a predete r mined pool level has been reached whereby said holdingmeans is withdrawn torallow f 40 said auxiliary shutter to open,relieving the. water pressure tending to hold the main shutter upright.o 7

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presenceof twosubscribingwitnesses. v V

' GUY B. 'BEBOUT.

'VVitnesses: r

s. R. 1am, V H. E. Donner.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingtheflcommls s'i oner of Patents.

' 7 Washington. D. 6.? r A g

